In Modals^x, Auxiliaries^x, Grammar^x

Hi everybody, I strongly disagree with the views mentioned on behalf of the Callan Method. Just because it promises to get the student where he or she wants to, doesn't mean the Method deserves criticism. I've been teaching English both the traditional way and the Callan Method way for...

These terms may not be the same everywhere but the basic grammar of the language is the same all over the Anglo-Saxon world! Would have had completed is always wrong. Would is a defective/modal auxiliary and only an infinitive is possible after these auxiliaries. In this case the perfect...

Lest 'tends to have a modal auxiliary or (esp in AmE) the present subjunctive' (Quirk, et al. 15.48) He was scared lest the corpse be / should be removed.

Hi I have read so much about modals and this is still a grey area of grammar to me. Need is a semi-modal, which combines the qualities of auxiliaries and 'normal' verbs. OK. Examples: I needn't have gone to work (was unnecessary, still I did) I did not need to go to work (was...

Jackson6612 wrote: Are the below sentences correct? 1: Actually you need not buy any books. 2: Actually you need not to buy any books. 3: Actually you don't need to buy any books. 4: Actually you don't need buy any books. Hi, In sentences 1 & 2 "need" is being...

Kilimanjaro wrote: Hello Cool Breeze, This sentence is taken from Michael SWAN's Practical English Usage. He says "might" can be used in such contexts Hi Kilimanjaro Yes, I know it's from that book. You mentioned it in a previous post. I didn't say it was right or wrong in my opinion. I...

Milky wrote: <To my mind, the articles are the trickiest part of English grammar> And modals? They are similar to other Germanic languages in structure and as there are only two infinitives in English (and in Swedish, for that matter), the modals or defective auxiliaries are...

With further consideration, I can only think that the author of the Wikipedia article on 'Subjunctive Mood' is considering the idea in its widest sense-- as 'any verb or structure that expresses a condition which is doubtful or not factual'. This is interesting for linguistic purposes, but is...

See at the BBC learning site: -- Note that with modal auxiliary verbs, do and did are not used: Can you play the clarinet? NOT: Do you can play the clarinet? I can't play the clarinet very well. NOT: I don't can play the clarinet. But I can play the recorder. NOT: I do can play...

Jackson6612 wrote: I hope this sentence is correct. Your teacher may have discussed the sequence of tenses. Can we use might in place of may? If we cannot do that then please let me know the reason. Your teacher might have discussed the sequence of tenses. Hi Jackson 6612 All...